Corn-planter.



No. 652,577. Patented June 26; I900. M. R. YATES, F. P. LIGHT 8:. E.HIMEBAUGH.

CORN PLANTER.

(Application filed Dec. 20, 1899.)

W/ TN E 885 S No. 652,577. Patented June 26, I900. M. B. YATES, F. P.LIGHT &. E. HIMEBAUGH.

CORN PLANTER.

(Application filed Dec. 20, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

n4: Nomus Pawns cu, Pucmu'mn. wAsPemmomp. c.

PATENT MARCUS REZIN YATES, FRANK P. LIGHT, AND ELLIOTT I-IIMEBAUGH, OF

' PENDLETON, OREGON.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,577, dated June 26,1900. Application filed December 20, 1899. Serial No. 741,011. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, lVIAROUS REZIN YATES, FRANK P. LIGHT, and ELLIOTTHIMEBAUGH,

citizens of the United States, residing at Pen dleton, in the county ofUmatilla and State of Oregon, have invented a new and Im-' provedCorn-Planter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Our invention is an attachment to sulky corn-planting machines, oneobject being to provide a simple constructionfor the purpose ofcheck-rowing or dropping the corn' directly opposite each hill in theadjoining rows, so that the rows of corn stand crosswise as well aslengthwise of the field.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the attachment thatall of the operative parts will be in front of the driver.

Another object of the invention is to provide a planter which may beoperated without the aid or employment of a check wire or rope to dropthe seedin perfect check and at the same time mark or indicate in suchmanner that the operator may readily determine if the machine isoperating correctly without leaving his position on the seat of theplanter.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved machine. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the forwardportion of the machine, illustrating particularly the check mechanismand means for delivering the seed from the boot, a portion of the bootbeing in section. Fig. a is a vertical section through one end of thecheckregister; Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the check-shaft,illustrating the mechanism for turning the said shaft independent of theprincipal driving mechanism;

and Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the axle, taken practicallyon the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

The main frame A is of the usual construction, having forward runners orshoes B and a tongue B. The frame A, which is provided with a reach orcentral bar a, is mounted upon an axle 10, on which wheels 11, havingconcaved tires,are loosely mounted. Ratchetwheels 12 are secured to theaxle, one adjacent to the hub of each supporting or drive wheel, and theteeth of these ratchet-wheels are engaged by spring-controlled dogs 13,carried by. the hubs of the supporting-wheels 11, so that if onesupporting or drive wheel slips the corresponding wheel will turn theaxle and in backing the axle will not revolve.

The tongue or pole B is connected by a link I) with the forward end ofthe reach or central beam at ofthe main frame, and springs b areconnected with opposite sides of the said tongue, which springs arelikewise connected with a front cross-bar 14, the crossbar beingattachedto seedboxes Oof any suitable description, and these seedboxesare usually mounted on the runners or shoes The intention of the springs19 is to take the side motion from the machine caused by a team workingunevenly.

A check-shaft 15 is journaled in bearings 16, extending rearward fromthe seedboxes O, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the said check-shaft islikewise journaled in boxes or bearings 17, secured to the forward endsof the side bars of the main frame A. The check-shaft 15 extends at eachend beyond the seedboxes, and at each end of the checkshaft a register Dis secured. Each register comprises a tube 18 in two sections connectedbya hub 19, the hub being secured to the check-shaft 15, and truss-bars20, located at the opposite sides of the tube and extending from endplates 21, secured at the ends of the sections of the tube to anengagement with platescarried by the hub, as shown in Fig. 2. Eachregister 1) is completed by the addition of pins 22, located in theouter ends of the sections of the tube 18,.which pins, as shown in Fig.4, are provided with heads,.preventing them from being withdrawnvfromthe tubular sections of the register, and springs 23 are placed in thetubular sections of the register, bearing against the hub 19 and theheads of the pins 22. Thus as the register revolves and a pin isbroughtin engagement with the surface of the ground to produce acheck-shaft 15, such connection consisting of a chain belt 25, passedover a sprocket-wheel 26 on the seed-drop shaft 24 and over a like wheel27 on the check-shaft 15. The checkshaft is driven from the axle 10, andthis is effected in the following manner: At preferably the lefthandside of the machine a sprocket-wheel 28 is loosely mounted on thecheck-shaft 15, and this wheel is connected with a sprocket wheel 29 onthe axle 10 through the medium of a chain belt 30 or its equivalent. Theforward sprocket-wheel 28 is provided at each side with a spring-comtrolled forwardly-pointing dog 31, and these dogs engage withratchet-wheels 32, secured to the check-shaft 15, being located adjacentto the side faces of the sprocket 28, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Thuswhen the machineis backed the check-shaft will not be revolved, and themachine may be turned without causing seed to be dropped.

An operating-wheel 33 is secured on the check-shaft 15, and thisoperating-wheel 33 is provided with two pins 34 upon its inner face,near its periphery. The pins are diametrically opposite or at equaldistances apart and are parallel with the longitudinal axes of theregisters D. This operating-wheel as it revolves operates a drop deviceconsisting of a lever 35, fulcrumed upon the reach or center bar a ofthe frame by a lag-screw orits equivalent. The said drop-lever isprovided with a foot 36 at one end, adapted to be engaged by the pins 34of the operating-wheel as said Wheel revolves, thus rocking the lever35. A fork 37 is formed at the opposite end of the lever 35, and thefork receives a pin 38, 1

which is secured to a release-shaft 39. This such position by means of aspring 41, attached to the shaft and to the reach or center bar a of themain frame.

seedboxes G and communicating with the openings in the runners, whichopenings are in communication with the ground.

Each boot 42 is provided with a vibrating valve 43, and these valves arenot opened un- 1 til a sufficient quantity of seed has accumu- Theordinary boots 42 are usually employed, extending from the lated in theboots to provide for planting a hill; but the seeds are preferablydelivered singly to the boots from the boxes 0. The valves 43 areopenedwhen the crank-arms of the releasing-shaft 39 are rocked in a forwardly direction, as the said crank-arms are connected through links 45with crank-arms 44, secured to the spindles of the valves. Thus whenevera pin 34 strikes the shifting lever 35 the said shifting lever rocks therelease-shaft 39 against the tension of the spring 41 and causes thevalves 43 to open, permitting the seed to drop' to the ground into thefurrows made by the runners B, and at the same time the pins 22 of theregisters will enter the ground and indicate the spot where the seedsare to be dropped.

Whenthe machine is to be turned, it is necessary that the registersshould be brought to such position that their points will not enter theground. To that end aratchet-wheel 46 is secured upon the check-shaft15, near its right-hand end,andan arm 47 is loosely mounted on the shaftat one side of the ratchetwheel, the arm 47 carryinga slip-dog48,adapted to engage with said ratchet-wheel 46, as shown in Figs. 3 and5, and a connecting-rod 49 is carried from the arm 47 to a connectionwith a lever 50, fulcrumed upon the axle 10 or any desired support onthe frame A, and this lever is provided with a thumb-latch 51, arrangedto engage with a rack 52. Th us by manipulating the lever 51 thecheck-shaft may be turned and the register be brought to any desiredposition.

It is obvious that all the mechanism is in front of the driver, whoseseat 53 is located at the rear of the frame, and that the registers Dmay be manipulated-without necessitating the driver leaving his seat.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In a corn-planter or like device, awheelsupported frame, a tongue having pivotalcon neotion with. theframe, and tension devices connected with the tongue at opposite sidesand with the frame, as described. 7

2. In a planter, a check-shaft, a drive-shaft connected With thecheck-shaft, means for turning the check-shaft independent of thedrive-shaft, registers carried by the checkshaft, boots leading fromseedboxes valves in the boots, and means foroperating the valves fromthe check-shaft, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a planter, a drive-shaft, supporting.

4. I11 a planter, the combination with an axle, supporting-wheels forthe same, seedboxes, boots connected therewith,valves-within the saidboots and runners connected with the boots, of a check-shaft, areleasing-shaft below the check-sh aft, said check-shaft being drivenfrom the axle, a disk secured upon the cheek-shaft and provided withpins, parallel with the longitudinal axes of the registers, a trip-leveroperated by the pins of the said disk, and a connection between thetrip-lever and the releasing-shaft, and a connection between thereleasing-shaft and the said valves, for the purpose described.

5. In a planter, the combination with a wheel-supported frame, ashifting lever carried by the frame, seedboxes and a seed-droppingmechanism carried by the frame', including boots and valves in the saidboots, of a shaft drivenfrom the axle of the wheel-supported frame,registering devices located at the outer ends of the said check-shaft, adriving connection between the check-shaft and the seed-droppingmechanism, a shifting connection between the lever carried by the saidframe and the said check-shaft, a tension-con-- trolled release-shaftactuated from the checkshaft, and a connection between the releaseshaftand the valves in the boots, as set forth.

6. The combination with a frame, an axleshaft, supporting-wheelsarranged to turn the said axle, seedboxes, runners and boots therefor,valves located in the said boots, and a seed-drop mechanism, of acheck-shaft extending beyond the boxes, registers secured to the ends ofthe checkshaft, and provided with tension-controlled points, and adriving connection between the check-shaft and the seed-droppingmechanism, a sprocket-wheel loosely mounted on the check-shat t,provided with dogs, ratchets secured to the check-shaft, arranged to beengaged by the said dogs, a belt connection between the saidsprocketwheel and the axle of the frame and a shifting connectionbetween the said frame and the check-shaft, a disk secured tothecheckshaft, provided with pins at equal distances apart and parallelwith the longitudinal axes of the registers, a trip-lever adapted to beengaged by the said pins, a tension-controlled releasing-shaft,aconnection between the said releasing-shaft and said shifting lever,and connections between the releasing-shaft and the valves in the saidboots, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a planter, the combination with boots leading from seedboxes, anda revoluble shaft provided with registers at its ends, of swingingvalves in the boots, a rock-shaft, connections between the rock-shaftand valves, and means for operating the rockshaft from the shaftcarrying the registers, substantially as described.

8. I11 a planter, the combination with boots leading from seedboxes, anda revoluble shaft provided with registers at its ends, of swingingvalves in the boots having crank-arms on their spindles, aspring-pressed rock-shaft having crank-arms at its ends, links connecting the crank-arms of the shaft wit-h crankarms of the valves, and meansfor operating the rock-shaft from the shaft carrying the registers,substantially as described.

9. In a planter, the combination with boots leading from seedboxes, andvalves in the boots, of a spring-pressed rock-shaft provided with a pin,connections between the rock-shaft and valves, a revoluble shaftcarrying registers at its ends, a disk on the shaft and pro Vided withpins, and a pivoted lever having one end forked to receive the pin ofthe rockshaft and provided at its other end with a foot adapted to beengaged by the pins of said disk.

10. In a planter, the combination with s eed-= boxes, a seed-drop shaft,boots leading from the seedboxes, and swinging valves in said boots, ofa revoluble shaft provided with registers at its ends, means foroperating the seed-drop shaft from the register-shaft, a rockshaft,connections between the rock-shaft and valves in the boots, and meansfor operating the rock-shaft from the register-shaft, sub stantially asdescribed.

11. In a planter, the combination with the axle, supporting-wheelsthereon, seedboxes, a seed-d rop shaft, boots leading from theseedboxes, and swinging valves in the boots, of a shaft provided with aregister at each end, means for operating said shaft from the axle ofthe supporting-wheels, means for operating the seed drop shaft from theregistershaft, a spring-pressed rock-shaft having its ends operativelyconnected with the swinging valves, and means for operating therockshaft from the register-shaft, substantially as herein shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of the subscribing witnesses.

MARCUS REZIN YATES. FRANK P. LIGHT. ELLIOTT I-IIMEBAUGII,

Witnesses to signatures of Marcus Rezin Yates and Frank P. Light:

L. B. REEDER, M. Monnnnnn. Witnesses to signature of Elliott Himebaugh:

JUSTIN GATEs, W. E. BEST.

